I was wondering if anyone knew how different pull-ups affect different muscle groups. Specifically is there any significant difference between wide grip, wide grip behind the neck, chin-ups (with fingers towards you), 'hammer pull-ups'(?) with hands gripping two parallel bars over the head, and pull-ups similar to the hammer pull up, only griping one bar and bringing your head up on one side of the bar or the other (like a regular pull-up rotated 90 degrees).

I’ve been trying to incorporate as many different variations of pull-ups in my work outs as possible and am wondering if it is worth it for general development or if I should just concentrate on one or two kinds.

Supinated grip pullups (aka chinups) involve the biceps, taking some of the load off the forearms and back.

Neutral-grip pullups...I'm not sure, despite the fact that I've done them, using a towel or a rope. Probably gets you halfway between the supinated and pronated grip - you don't have the forearm rotated fully, nor will you have the elbow flexors (biceps, etc.) in the position of greatest advantage.

Just thought I would add that with pull ups, personally, I rotate like I do other compound exercises, which is every 2weeks. So i'll do pronated for 2 weeks, neutral for the next 2 weeks, supintated for the next 2 weeks.. And i like to throw in towel pull ups here and there, too. Sometimes pull ups go further into my work out, so then become an assistance exercise, in which case, it doesn't rotate the same and i'll work at it for 4 weeks (one program lasts 4weeks), instead of 2.

Doing it this way, which also involves rotating rep ranges, means that the weight always goes up.... Bear in mind I train for strength, not size.

KPj wrote:Just thought I would add that with pull ups, personally, I rotate like I do other compound exercises, which is every 2weeks. So i'll do pronated for 2 weeks, neutral for the next 2 weeks, supintated for the next 2 weeks.. And i like to throw in towel pull ups here and there, too. Sometimes pull ups go further into my work out, so then become an assistance exercise, in which case, it doesn't rotate the same and i'll work at it for 4 weeks (one program lasts 4weeks), instead of 2.

KPj, you remind me of "Budda" in "Forrest Gump" talkin' about all way you can fix shrimp...:)